For Everything
by Padfoots-Sister5
Summary: It started in the pit of my stomach. It rose from within me all the way up to my tongue. It was trying to escape - I could feel it. Whatever it was, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I opened my mouth and - "Draco, don't go." I heard myself whisper.


"Draco." Lucius spoke as though he was in pain. A thick silence engulfed the air. I looked around and my heart sank. When had everything made a turn for the worst? There we stood, in front of Voldemort himself, with no plan what so over. And to top it all off, Harry lay dead in Hagrid's arms. I couldn't help but notice the vacant expression in Hagrid's eyes. I can only imagine how horrible that must be… after all these years, to have to carry someone you love dearly dead in your arms.

"Draco." Lucius spoke again, this time a bit frustrated. Was he…calling him over? Draco wouldn't actually turn himself over – would he? I turned around and arched my head hoping I would spot him. Where was that batch of platinum blonde hair? Usually I could spot it from miles away – not that I ever really look for him. That's when I heard the shuffle of feet from behind me. I turned around and _right _behind me, stood Draco Malfoy. Was he…walking towards them? How could he!

"Come. Come Draco." His father pleaded with open arms. Saying Lucius looked like a mess would be an understatement. He had the biggest bags under his eyes that I've ever seen, and his hair had turn partially grey. He was worn out.

I could feel something rising in my stomach. Was I going to be sick? No… it was something else. I could feel it making its way up my throat and to my tongue. It was trying to push its way out, I could just _feel it. _What was this? Whatever it was, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I opened my mouth and –

"Draco, don't go." I whispered. As I spoke, Draco jumped, a bit startled. I couldn't blame him; I had jumped as well at the sound of my own voice. His eyes grew wide and the usual menacing glare I would receive from him was no longer there. He looked so, so… _sad. _My whisper had been so hushed that only Draco and I could hear. Everyone else had their eyes glued on Lucius, Voldemort… and Harry.

"I – I…" Draco stuttered trying to find the right words. Why did I want him to stay? And it wasn't just so we could have an extra wand for battle, but it was almost like I wanted to wrap my arms around him in a hug and not let go until I saw that he was happy. It's as if I didn't want to see him upset… as if I…_cared about him_.

"You don't have to go, please…I want you stay." The words were escaping so fast from my mouth; I could barely understand them myself. Draco's eyes began to water with tears and he clenched his fists.

"I want to stay also Hermione… with you. With everybody at Hogwarts but - ,"

"Draco." His mother had spoken this time. Unlike Lucius, Narcissa's voice was calm and peaceful. Why did she seem so calm? Like she knew something no one else did. Her calmness shined out of her in contrast with everybody else. It was very odd.

"Come." She spoke again, reaching out her arms with a small smile. I turned back and Draco looked at me with such anguish that I almost broke out in tears.

"I'm sorry Hermione." And with those last three words, he walked towards his mother, head hung low. If it wasn't for the crowd of people surrounding me, I would have lunged at him and not let him go. But I knew I couldn't. As Draco began to approach his parents, to my complete horror I see Voldemort step in front of him and wrap him in a tight embrace. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to scream.

"Sto-," I could hear the beginning of the word forming in my mouth, but I quickly silenced myself. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he let go and Draco scurried over to his mother, taking her hand. He slowly turned around and to my surprise; he locked his eyes with me.

"I'm sorry." He mouthed, a tear spilling down his cheek. I could feel a knot tightening in my throat and my lip beginning to quiver as I tried to hold back the sobs that were trying to escape from my body.

"I know." I mouthed back and gave him a comforting smile. The next five minutes seemed to have happen in one giant blur. First Neville had stepped forth, which had shocked me and almost sent me into a nervous breakdown, but then he began to speak. And before I knew what was happening, Neville had reached into a hat and taken out the Sword of Gryffindor, and Harry had leaped out from Hagrid's arms. I was overjoyed – I could feel the tears finally spill over, but this time, they were happy tears. I looked over at Ron and the Weasley family and all of them as well, couldn't believe what had unfolded in front of them.

"He's alive." I heard Ron mutter with the biggest smile on his face. Ron gripped my hand tightly pulling me into the entrance, a safe distance away from the commotion happening outside. That's when I got a strange feeling in my stomach, and realized there was something I had to do.

"I need to talk to someone Ron." I suddenly stopped walking which caused Ron to stumble a bit.

"Talk to someone? Are you mad at Hermione? This isn't technically the perfect time." He tried to pull me deeper into the entrance but I stood my ground.

"I need to talk to Draco." I heard myself mutter. Had I honestly told him that I need to talk to Draco?

"_Malfoy? _What for!" I could see a flash of jealousy spark through his eyes. I couldn't help but smile.

"Ron… if you haven't realized yet how much I love you, something is terribly wrong with you. Don't you trust me?" I chuckled. I felt his grip immediately relax and his eyes soften.

"Of course I trust you." At first he hesitated, but eventually he slowly let go of my hand. I leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. I loved the way Ron made me feel. Protected. Loved. Happy.

As I ran through the courtyard, I searched aimlessly for him. Where could he possibly be? That's when I spotted three blondes making their way through the bridge. _It's him. _And with that thought, I began to sprint. Probably the fastest I've ever ran in my whole entire life. I just sprinted like mad. I knew I had to catch up to them before they could Aparate.

"Draco!" I finally yelled out, and slumped against the wall of the bridge. I could feel my heart in my throat as Draco slowly turned around.

"What the bloody hell are you _doing!_?" Draco yelled back bewildered.

'I – I need to talk to you." I tried to catch my breath again. His father gripped his arm but Draco shook him off.

"Are you sure dear?" his mother asked into his ear.

"Go on, I'll catch up with you later." Draco whispered without turning back to look at his family. Then, they vanished.

"Granger, what on earth could you possibly want to tell me?" Draco asked, rubbing his temples.

"That…that it'll be ok." I mumbled back at him. Draco stopped rubbing his temples and looked at me in a way that made my heart skip a beat. He took a step forward and before I could realize what was happening, he had wrapped his arms around my waist and brought me into a tight hug. I immediately relaxed into it and placed my head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Hermione." He whispered into my hair.

"I know… you couldn't leave your mother-,"

"Not just that…for- for everything." He pulled away from the hug and gently kissed my cheek, his lips barely brushing against my skin. And before I had time to react, he had vanished. Walking back towards the entrance of Hogwarts, I was in a daze. What exactly happened a few seconds before? That wasn't the Draco I was used to. It was a new side to him – one I happened to be _very_ fond of.

"Hermione, bloody hell I was so worried!" Ron wrapped his arms around me and snapped me back into reality. I could finally hear the screams and curses being blasted into the air. I could smell fire and feel the warmth of Ron surrounding me. He pulled away from the hug and studied me carefully.

"What happened? Are you alright?" he asked, brushing a hair out of my face.

"Yeah… everything's going to be alright now." And it truly was going to be. Feeling Ron's protective strong arms around me and the new realization that Draco Malfoy actually _cared _and might actually care for me – well, everything seemed to be more than alright.


End file.
